


Before You Go-Go

by StrangerInAStrangeLand



Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Bedside Vigil, Bonding over music, M/M, You can pry this ship from my cold dead hands, slight whump (i guess)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-06
Updated: 2019-07-06
Packaged: 2020-06-22 09:30:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,194
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19664611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StrangerInAStrangeLand/pseuds/StrangerInAStrangeLand
Summary: After a very bruising battle, Stephen Strange wakes up in the hospital one week later to the sound of a very familiar song and the face of a very familiar man.





	Before You Go-Go

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Stephen Strange Bingo. Prompt: "Bedside Vigil".

_"You put the boom boom into my heart (hoo, hoo)  
You send my soul sky high when your lovin' starts   
Jitterbug into my brain (yeah, yeah)..."_  
  
It took one whole week for him to wake up. A brand new record.   
  
When Stephen opened his eyes, it only took him a few seconds to recognize the all too familiar fluorescent lights looming above his head. He heard the sharp beats of the monitor blaring into his ear, akin to an alarm clock, trying to convince him that he was somehow still alive. The overwhelming strain throughout his body told him all he needed to know.   
  
Yup. He was in the medbay again. Great.   
  
Wong and the Cloak were probably worried sick. Or exhausted from having to protect the Sanctum all week. Or both.   
  
To make matters worse, his magic would still be out of commision for at least a few more days. His magic recharged even slower these days. Maybe that just meant he was getting old. Well, he definitely felt brittle.   
  
A pained sigh escaped his lips. He'd been comatose for an entire week and he still felt tired. He knew he wasn't as strong as Thor or Spider-Man or Black Panther. His own hands were a daily reminder of that. And every time he woke up in the medbay, it was just another heavy reminder that everyone else knew about his weakness too.   
  
_"...Goes a bang-bang-bang 'til my feet do the same  
But something's bugging you (ha-ha, ha-ha)  
Something ain't right (ha-ha, ha-ha)  
My best friend told me what you did last night (ha-ha, ha-ha)..."_  
  
As his vision adjusted to the brightness of the lights, he began to hear a familiar melody ringing in his ears. It was an upbeat, optimistic, classic 80's song. A tune that made him feel at ease with the world.   
  
_"...I was dreaming, but I should have been with you instead (ha-ha)  
Wake me up before you go-go  
Don't leave me hanging on like a yo-yo..."_  
  
He tipped his head to the left, searching for the source of the music. As he peeked at his side, his heart settled once he saw that he wasn't alone in the hospital room.   
  
Just a few inches away from him was the familiar face of Peter Quill lounging lazily in a cramped plastic hospital chair, staring off into space. Stephen's inner embarrassment quickly melted into delight as he gazed at the half-asleep traveler.   
  
"George Michael, 1984."   
  
Quill was immediately brought out of his dissociative state once he heard the recognizably raspy voice. Once he saw Stephen looking at him, fully conscious, his face lit up.   
  
"You're up!" he beamed, relieved. He jolted out of his chair and rushed to his side. "God, I was sure you were a goner this time."  
  
Stephen smirked. "Then why didn't you just bury me already?"   
  
Quill pointed at the active monitor without missing a beat. "That thing's still convinced you're alive somehow. Could've fooled me."   
  
It was understandable. With all the times Stephen's ended up in the hospital at this point, he was practically a living tombstone. Granted, he preferred to wake up to the musical stylings of _Wham!_ than never wake up at all.   
  
"What's with the music?"   
  
"You like it?" Quill eagerly took out a copy of a custom cassette tape adorned with a dark blue background and golden stars. "While you were out, I made a mixtape for us. Just a gift for the coolest guy I know. I thought it would help you get better."  
  
Stephen took the tape into his hands, slightly astonished by the gift. It was small, of course, but it was special. It showed that he cared. If there was one thing he loved about Quill more than anything, it was his taste in music.   
  
Music was the one thing Stephen and Quill could 100% agree on. The moment they realized they were both singing along to AC/DC at that one celebratory party marked the beginning of the rest of their lives together. 

Since then, they bonded over the beauty of Earth, Wind, & Fire's instrumentals and David Bowie's hypnotizing lyrics. They sung in harmony about piña coladas, spirits in the sky, and intoxicated love. 

It was the perfect gift to represent their relationship. 

"Well, I think it's doing the job," He examined the tape's lovingly crafted design with awe. Maybe he could find a cheap cassette player on sale. "I'm feeling much better already."

Quill pointed at the list of songs printed on the front side. 

"It has all your favorite songs. Interstellar Overdrive,--"

"August 5, 1967," Stephen said instantly. 

"--Back in Black,--"

"December 21, 1980."

"--The Coroner's Gambit,--"

"October 17, 2000."

"There's 23 of these, do you want me to keep going?"

"I'm sure I'll get most of them right." 

Quill rolled his eyes with a snicker. Then quietly, he examined Stephen's injuries. Although he was awake, he was still covered in bruises and half-healed scars. He caressed his thumb over a particularly rough looking forehead wound and sighed. 

"How're you feeling?" He asked softly. 

Stephen did a quick self-examination and hummed. 

"Well, my lungs feel like silicon, my tongue tastes like ash, and I'm only 85% sure my heart is still beating," He said flatly. "So in other words, fine." 

Quill glanced at him skeptically. He could tell he wasn't truly "fine". 

"Anything I can do to help?"

Stephen's eyed his boyfriend's usual space-wandering garb, which was even more disorganized than usual. He'd already helped him enough just by being there. 

"You've been watching me, haven't you?"

Quill answered with a cheeky smirk. "All week, baby." 

That's all he needed to hear, really. Just that comforting notion that he was always going to be there for him. Still, he appreciated that he came all the way down here just to look after him this entire time. 

"Stay here," Stephen said, softly gripping onto his hand. "I like it when you're here."

Quill looked at him again, amused by the modest clinginess, and bent down to kiss him on the forehead.

"Okay," he complied, ruffling his hair. "I'll stay with you."

He sat back in his chair, crossed his legs, and hummed along to the next song. Likewise, Stephen fell back into his cot and mindlessly stared at his pained arm. 

The shame came once again. Was he really that fragile? 

"For what it's worth, you looked really badass on the battlefield," Quill spoke up suddenly. "You gotta teach me some of those spells one day." 

That was another thing he loved about him. He knew exactly how to make him feel better. Whether that was staying by his unconscious body for a whole week, or just by simply complimenting him, he always knew what to do. 

Stephen lowered his arm and smiled peacefully. "Maybe when I'm better," he muttered. "I love you." 

Quill flashed a finger gun at him in response. Soon, the next song began to play.

_"Baby, you know, I could pick you up, turn your life around…"_ He sung along. Stephen shook his head with the faintest bit of a grin. 

"I'd settle for a simple "I love you too", y'know." 

**Author's Note:**

> Wake Me Uo Before You Go Go (c) Wham!  
> Any other songs mentioned here (c) I don't know I'm not a musician


End file.
